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Philip Martin offers a delectable array of salon music at its finest, from household names such as Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Mendelssohn and Grieg to somewhat rarer gems from Tekla Badarzewska and Ethelbert Nevin.» More

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Domenico Paradies (originally Paradisi, 1707–1791), though born in Naples, spent much of his working life in London where he made a good living teaching and composing operas. We learn from one source that ‘when Miss Schmähling (1749–1833, later known as Gertrud Mara, a famous soprano) made her first appearance in London as a violinist of eleven, Paradies was engaged as her singing teacher, but her father soon found it necessary to withdraw her from his influence. An earlier pupil was Miss Cassandra Frederick, who at the age of five-and-a-half gave a concert in the Little Theatre (1749) playing compositions by Scarlatti and Handel. The last we hear of this eccentric Italian is his connection with the elder Thomas Linley (1733–1795), the composer and father-in-law of the playwright Sheridan, to whom he gave instruction in harmony and thorough-bass.’ Later in life, Paradies returned to Italy where he died in Venice.

Clementi, Cramer and Mozart all studied Paradies’ keyboard works conscientiously. The most important of these are the 12 Sonate di gravicembalo dedicated to the Princess Augusta, which were published in London in 1754. Each has two movements and include an almost Scarlattian variety of invention. The A major Toccata is the only piece of Paradies played today.